We introduce you to the 2007 12-week BodyBlit Grand Champion, Phil Drysdale.
Many of you will understand what it’s like to be dealt with the wrong set of genes when it comes to fat-loss and weight retention. For some, even the slightest dietary slip up can result in bloating, lethargy and weight gain.
But, if this has been an excuse that you’ve used to explain why you’ve had a weight problem your entire life, and haven’t been able to lose the fat, let me introduce you to Phil Drysdale.
Phil has struggled with a weight problem his entire life. A genetic tendency to be overweight is prevalent throughout his bloodline and Phil has carried an unhealthy amount of body fat since childhood, his weight often fluctuating when he did manage to lose a few kilos. He perpetually felt unhappy about his appearance, sluggish mood and unhealthy lifestyle.
“I’ve been going to the gym since I was 14,” says Phil, now 29. “But I never had the knowledge to really make any significant difference.”
Compounding this, Phil has also suffered leg problems since he was a child. His right leg was growing crooked and at the age of 21 he had a 10cm plate inserted into his knee to try to correct the problem. As a result, playing high impact sports and sports that involve any sort of intense running was prohibited.
“It was just a combination of things: genetics, over indulging on food and alcohol, and general laziness,” he says.
“Procrastination may as well have been my middle name. When I did have the time to exercise, I was often too tired, too full, or nursing an injury. The easy answer was always, ‘I’ll start tomorrow, next week, next month, next year’.”
Finally, fed up with the life he was living, Phil decided to join a gym, and keep training until he achieved his ultimate goal, of a physique worthy of bringing to the bodybuilding stage.
Stats
Before
After
Height
6'2''
6'2''
Weight
123.5kg
98kg
Chest
127cm
108cm
Waist
126cm
94cm
Calves
42cm
40cm
Arms
42cm
38cm
Thighs Lft
70cm
65cm
Thighs Rht
62cm
“I was about to turn 30, and I wasn’t about to get any younger! My wife and I were planning to have children. Obviously, every parent’s wish is to have a healthy child and what better way to achieve that than to set the right example,” he says.
“I hadn’t made any promises to anyone, but deep down I knew that 2007 was going to be a great year.”
How right he was. After taking out the monthly winner’s prize in June, he would go on to place second in a first-timers division of a WA NABBA/WFF bodybuilding competition. Soon after this, he was announced as the 12-week BodyBlitz Challenge Grand Champion, capping off what truly was a mementus year.
And after a life of negativity and doubt, despite all the other great things this achievement has given him, it has given Phil a brighter outlook on his years ahead.
“It has given me a happier and more positive outlook on life,” he says. “It’s taught me to set goals for myself like my new bodybuilding goals and ambitions. I am now far more determined to succeed in all areas of my life, not just my health.”
It wasn’t all protein shakes and rice-cakes for the bodybuilder in waiting, and like all things worth doing, the going got tough.
“In the past it seemed so easy to make up an excuse not to exercise or eat healthy. After all, life is meant to be enjoyed to the fullest, right? At 21, that definitely didn’t involve sweating it out on a treadmill when all my mates were out drinking and partying.”
But, over the course of the three months, sweating it out became a major part of his life, and the better his results, the harder he worked.
“To put it simply, I did lots and lots of cardio and weight training. I would do cardio at 4:30 am, go to work, come home, lift weights, and then do more cardio. It was intense. I was also eating a very healthy and balanced diet,” he said. “But consistency is the key.”
It was this very ability to stay focussed and consistent that separates those that will succeed in a competition like the 12-week BodyBlitz Challenge compared to those that achieve mediocre results, something that Phil never compromised.
“The mind is a powerful thing,” he says. “You need to set down a plan and stick to it, but you need to want to do it for yourself not for someone else. You need to set targets and reward yourself when you reach them, even if it’s to buy yourself something you’ve always wanted when you reach a certain weight or body fat percentage.”
Phil’s also a believer in rewarding yourself each week with a cheat day, or cheat meal at least in the initial stages, something that kept him moving forward and progressing. And as some may consider this to be a degree of weakness, that you must succumb to temptation, as Phil explains, one day a week of bad eating is better than seven, and initially, this day is important as you adjust to your new lifestyle, so long as you maintain the boundaries.
“I would only having junk food on Sunday, which was my cheat day, instead of all the time,” he says.
“And not drinking any alcohol as well, that was an important change. I began eating unprocessed foods, such as chicken, fish, fresh fruit, vegetables and nuts. I was also eating six-to-seven smaller meals a day, rather than three larger meals. I found all these things to be very effective.
“If you fall off the horse, jump straight back on it. And remember that most of the time the hardest critic will be yourself, so make sure you make it enjoyable. Finally, get a good support group around you.”
Phil certainly surrounded himself with very supportive and positive people, something that many great physique champions, such as Skip La Cour are strong advocates of. At the top of this list was Phil’s wife Michelle.
“She always made sure I was eating the right things,” Phil remembers. “And, when the going got tough, she put me back on the straight and narrow.”
“The guys from my gym (Pure Fitness in Canning Vale) helped me with advice, feedback and support.
When people experience a metamorphosis such as this, there’s usually a single moment, one point in time which they recognise as the point everything changed, when they began to carve a new direction for themselves. This moment is clear in Phil’s mind.
“It was late last year, after having surgery on my right knee that I began to contemplate the future. I was in the worst shape I had ever been, but, it wasn’t just about me this time. It involved my new family: my wife and I, and our future children.”
Taking this motivation, he would discover just what he could achieve with some dedication and hard work. And with this ability, he looks to take this to the next level.
“That’s my biggest physical goal this year, to compete in the NABBA/WFF bodybuilding competition coming up in September.”
Obviously this year, he won’t have the luxury of a first-timers category, instead, he’ll be up against all the other die-hard bodybuilding competitors. And, having got to know Phil, we’re sure he’s going to do very well.
ONE MINUTE WITH PHIL
Q. How did you perceive yourself before you had the big wake up call?
A big fat slob, simple as that.
Q. What was the hardest part about the 12 weeks?
Getting up at 4.30am to do cardio.
Q. Did you ever feel down during the challenge, like you wanted to give up?
Not really, and that’s thanks to all the people supporting and encouraging me, those that were making sure I had the correct mindset to stay positive and overcome all the hurdles.
Q. What strategies did you employ to overcome these feelings when you couldn’t access support group?
I read magazines and talked to Brad (from Pure Fitness) about all the positive outcomes of being fit and healthy.
Q. How have your family and friends reacted to your new physique?
Coming from a relatively large family, it was sometimes hard to get additional motivation and moral support from all of them. Now they’re just amazed at what a different shape I have taken and how much healthier I look.
Q. What do you think now when you see photos of yourself before the challenge?
Disgusted. Hard to believe that I ever looked like that. It makes me feel sick in the stomach when I look at those photos.
Q. Do you have any advice for anyone unhappy with their physique and fitness who might be considering entering the BodyBlitz Challenge?
Enter it. It’s life-changing. If you put you mind to it you can accomplish anything!
Phil's Training Split
MONDAY
• Morning: 40 mins cardio
• Afternoon: Lower body workout
• Evening: 40 mins cardio
TUESDAY
• Morning: 40 mins cardio
• Afternoon: 40 mins cardio
• Evening: 40 mins cardio
WEDNESDAY
• Morning: 40 mins cardio
• Afternoon: Upper body workout
• Evening: 40 mins cardio
THURSDAY
• Morning: 40 mins cardio
• Afternoon: 40 mins cardio
• Evening: 40 mins cardio
FRIDAY
• Morning: 40 mins cardio
• Afternoon: Lower body workout
• Evening: 40 mins cardio
SATURDAY:
• Morning: 40 mins cardio
• Afternoon: 40 mins cardio
• Evening: 40 mins cardio
SUNDAY: Free Day
Note: Upper/Lower body workouts alternate each week.
Phil's Diet
MEAL 1
• Option 1: 1 cup of oats or porridge, 1 cup of skim milk
• Option 2: 1 cup of scrambled eggs (1 yolk)
MEAL 2
• Option 1: 30g protein powder with water, 50g pineapple
• Option 2: 2 tins of tuna, salad, 1 cup of rice, 1 kiwi fruit
MEAL 3
• Option 1: 100g chicken, salad, 1 kiwi fruit
• Option 2: 100g fish, salad, 50g pineapple
MEAL 4
• Option 1: 85g diet yoghurt, 30g protein, 1 kiwi fruit
• Option 2: 30g protein powder with 200mls low fat milk
MEAL 5
Option 1: 150g chicken, unlimited salad (Low-fat dressing)
Option 2: 150g fish, unlimited vegetables
Joint Winner is Amy Ashurst
Joint monthly winner Amy Ashurst tells how altering more than just her workout lead her into a healthy weight range. Read more »
Joint Winner is Romany White
Joint monthly winner Romany White proves hard work really does pay off!
Read more »
January's Monthly Winner is Helen Jaman
Helen Jaman combined a family holiday with fitness and healthy eating to achieve amazing results. Read more »
This Months Winner was Paul Omann
Motivated by the 12-week BodyBlitz Challenge and with the resolve to resist temptation, Paul managed some incredible results. Read more »
Joint Winner is Amy Ashurst
Joint Winner is Romany White
January's Monthly Winner is Helen Jaman
This Months Winner was Paul Omann
